Sunday, March 20, 2011

Meet the BAC Mono, a $130,000 Single-Seater for the Hardcore Enthusiast

The BAC Mono (as in monoposto, Italian for single-seater) is a brutal single-seater race car designed to bring formula racing levels of handling and performance to the street. It's basically an Ariel Atom or a KTM X-Bow for the most selfish of drivers that can (and probably should) be used as a trackday special or a one-make series racer.

The Mono is motivated by a mid-mounted naturally aspirated 2.3-liter Cosworth engine that develops 280 bhp. The engine is mated to a six-speed sequential Hewland transmission with limited-slip differential, designed to Formula 3 specifications.

While 280 bhp might not sound much to power-infested minds, the Mono's power to weight ratio stands at 520 bhp / tonne, a value superior to that of the Bugatti Veyron, as the car weighs a mere 540 kg (1,190 lbs) thanks to the carbon-fiber body and the minimalistic engineering approach.

BAC says the Mono can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 2.8 seconds and to 100 mph (160km/h) in 6.7 seconds, en route to a top speed of 170 mph (274 km/h).

The car's aerodynamics were optimized in partnership with the Stuttgart University and all of the mechanical components come from established motorsport companies. Add the 48/52 weight distribution (front to rear) and you have a raw racing car that you can use legally on the streets. Why would anyone want to drive it on public roads is another issue.

“The Mono is the culmination of a 12-year dream for us – the car we wanted to own but nobody else made,” said BAC co-founder Neill Briggs. The company said it will build 50 to 100 cars a year, with a starting price of £79,950 ($130,000) a piece in the UK.